


Parallels

by xips



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Catharsis, Depression, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Jealousy, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:20:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23070820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xips/pseuds/xips
Summary: She's lonely and wants to see him. He's a mess and wants distance, from everyone and everything. But, will he be able to keep that distance... from her?A tale of broken hearts.
Relationships: Chris Redfield/Jill Valentine, Leon S. Kennedy/Claire Redfield, minor Leon S. Kennedy/Ada Wong - Relationship
Comments: 17
Kudos: 76





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt ever at any type of work really and english isn't my first language, so I apologize for some stupid grammatical mistakes and errors I might make along the way =D
> 
> These two are definitely my OTP and it's really fun to try and write their characters and explore their relationship. They totally complete each other imo. Ada who? (jk i love her too) Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

A soft, cold morning breeze entered the room. Sunlight shines through the window, making its way to her side of the bed and resting on her exposed arm up to her shoulder while also gracing her face. She was a helluva' woman, a unique beauty indeed, there was absolutely no doubt about that. Many years have passed and despite now being in her early forties she had aged as fine as wine to the point she could fool anyone she hadn't gotten past thirty yet. She wasn't getting any younger as time flew by but she sure as hell wasn't getting less astonishing. Her auburn hair sparkled in contact with the light and fiery strands danced across her face as the wind played with them, brushing her forehead and tickling her nose.

"Nngh...", Claire groaned and shivered as the sweet morning breeze cooled her face and was starting to freeze her bare arm.

At the same time, the sun relentlessly tried to pierce its light into her eyelids. She unconsciously turned her back against the window, facing away from the blinding, intrusive light and shielding her face from the chilly stream that invaded her bedroom, hiding her free arm under the pillow.

**BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-**

The loud sound caused her to grimace, forcing her wake of a peaceful slumber. She lazily opened her eyes and scanned the far end of the room, finally glancing at the cause of her disturbance. She made quick work of flipping the sheets off of her well-toned body and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, taking a breath and regaining her senses, crossing her arms in an attempt to shield her body from the cold air as she ultimately stood up and made her way to the other side of the king size bed she rested on, finally shutting off the infernal beeping from the digital alarm clock placed on top of the nightstand next to a lamp, a empty glass of water and a medical jar with a few sleeping pills.

It was half past six in the morning. Claire came back home after an international TerraSave conference and was suffering from a terrible jet lag she hoped would go away soon enough. However, she had gotten the week off she had requested and didn't need to worry about having to work wasted, she had seven days to get all the rest she needed and Moira could totally fill in for her.

"Damn, it's getting **colder** in here...", she mumbled to herself and walked towards the dresser next to the bathroom door, opening the first drawer and grabbing a red sweater, wearing it over her shirt. She opened the second drawer, wore her blue jeans and shimmed her feet inside a pair of yellow slippers she had placed next to the dresser. She glanced at the last drawer, giving it a good, hard look before pulling it open. On the left side there were many pairs of black and white socks stacked next to each other and, on the right side, many scarfs of different colors. Of all the scarfs, she had grabbed a dark blue one _he_ had gifted her on her 40th birthday. She loved that particular scarf. It was a part of her now, even in the coldest of days she wouldn't pick any other of the scarves she had over that one.

It reminded her of **him**. **His face, his voice, his scent, everything,** and she kept that with her like she was carrying him everywhere she went. It wasn't the first gift she had gotten from him, but he had never really gave her something else than chocolate and flowers on her birthday. She was surprised when he decided to give her something different for once even if it was just a scarf, and she was thankful for it. She made her way towards the door and exited her bedroom, heading left in the hallway and walking down the steps, making her way to the kitchen.

Once she arrived, she quickly poured herself a mug of coffee to warm herself up and headed to the living room. She sat on the brown couch and raised her legs resting them on top of it, making herself comfortable. She turned on the TV and flicked through the channels trying to find something good on. As always, nothing interesting was on TV and she realized how much she would rather work than be at home doing nothing. She hated the monotonous mornings and couldn't wait for afternoon. At least she could go out, watch movies, visit the park and hang out with someone instead of rotting in a bed all day. She left the TV on, using it as background noise to keep the loneliness away and sipped through her beverage. Suddently, her thoughts caught her, and her mind shifted to _him._

 _"I wonder how he's doing..."_ she thought to herself as she realized they hadn't met in quite some time. The last time they had seen each other was last Christmas. He seemed a bit crestfallen at the time, but then again, who didn't? She smiled as she reminisced moments of the party. She had a lot of fun chatting with Barry and his girls, catching up with her brother and Jill who got together after the man finally managed to propose himself to her, Leon's stupid jokes and his little quarrels with Chris, her call with Leon to Sherry... She valued and held on to these moments she shared with the people she loved with her life because, after everything they went through, it showed her that all of them could still have a bit of normality in their lives, even for just a moment... Bioterrorism refused to cease and she knows someone has to stand up against it. But... why them, of all the people in the world? Why? Why she and her brother? The Burtons? Why Sherry? Why... Leon? She sighed and shaked herself away from the thoughts that clouded her for a fair amount of time now and put away the now empty mug, standing up and walking towards the TV to grab the cellphone that was sitting right next to it and closed her eyes. Maybe he was busy, maybe he wasn't, she was bored and thought it wouldn't hurt to try. She sat back down on the couch and dialed his number, placing the cellphone beside her ear and hoping to hear his voice, even if it was just the voicemail.

~

 **He was broken.**

**He was a mess.**

He was lying sprawled on his bed, his eyes glazed at the ceiling of his bedroom. Bottles of hard liquor were placed on the floor right next to the edge of his side of the bed, shot glasses on top of the nightstand. Beside him rested a woman, almost as tall as him, dark blonde hair, her back turned against his face. He couldn't remember why she was there or even who she was, but he could guess. He had wasted himself in the club again. It wasn't healthy but was definitely the best way he could cope with the pain and fill the void he felt inside him. Or so he thought. He moved the sheet that barely covered his body away and stood up, realizing he was naked. Figures. He wore the boxer he found on the floor and headed for the bathroom, hoping cold water would help relieve a little of everything he was feeling. He turned the water on and bathed his head in it, drying his face and hair with a face towel that hanged from the holder. He lazily brushed his teeth right after, the taste of old alcohol and whatever kind of body fluid he had tasted from that woman torturing his mouth. It helped him shake off a bit of the sleepiness and he felt more aware of his surroundings despite still being completely tired. He walked off the bathroom and noticed the woman was now facing him with a sleepy face, struggling to keep her eyes on him.

"Hey...", she spoke in a whisper, her mumble barely reaching his ears. "You feeling ok?" she asked as he stared back at her, scanning her face for a few seconds before answering.

"Mhm.", he faced away from her, gesturing at the door. "Do you mind leaving?" he crashed back on the bed, burying his face in the pillow and covering himself back.

"I don't," she answered. "But only if you promise you'll be okay by yourself here. I don't mean to hurt you but you're a bit of a mess, honey. Are you going to be fine?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, caressing it.

"Hmph... why do you even ask? It's not like you care. You got what you wanted, right? Now leave." he mumbled and moved his shoulder away from her grasp. She looked at him, eyes filled with concern, and let out a sad smile, empathizing with him. 

"Do you want me to call someone? To get you something?" 

"...no. But you can get yourself something." He leaned up and stared at her face from over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Get yourself **the hell out of here.** "

She gasped at his rudeness, shaking her head and immediately got up to gather her clothes, dressing herself up and leaving the bedroom without saying a word. He sighed, once again feeling bad for his discourtesy with yet another woman. He flirted with them, drinked with them, took them to his apartment, he fucked their brains out and held them like he'd never let go only to dispose of them in the morning like nothing, just because he felt guilty of making them have to put up with his lack of self-esteem and his self-hatred. 

He used them as mere objects of pleasure, trying to numb his mind and body with the ecstasy while also drowning himself in alcohol. His life went even more downhill after he was withdrawn indefinitely from his duties at the DSO as result of his recent behavior. He did hate his job and despised bioterrorism with every single living cell that composed his body, he watched good colleagues and close friends perish at the hands of B.O W.S., he observed as cities collapsed and innocent people were brutally murdered in cold blood at the hands of terrorists, but at least he had something to fight, and who to fight for. Even though he knew that nothing of that would eventually come to an end he'd keep fighting, doing his best to protect others from the countless terrors he witnessed every single day.

When his life began to have some kind of meaning once again, they had put him away, and he was lost. Again. Helpless. Just like he was _that night_ , in 1998. He could swear he had changed, but deep down he was still the same frightened rookie with a strong sense of justice who had his life taken from him about two decades ago. He leaned back on the bed and buried his head in the pillow once again, hoping he'd doze off and only wake up in the evening where he'd repeat his miserable cycle once again. But before he could get asleep, he heard his ringtone from the living room.

He frowned and stood up right away, limping his way to the exit and heading to the living room as slow as he could. That pulsating headache and that awful dizziness would be the end of him if he even dared to pick up the pace. Maybe they changed their minds and decided it was time to bring him back to duty. Maybe it was some fucking telemarketer. Maybe it was Ada, who he had no contact after his services were postponed. Or maybe, just maybe, it was her. And he didn't want it to be her. He didn't even want to hear her voice in the state he was in. He wasn't worthy. Ada he could bear, he knew she wouldn't give a shit about his sorrow. Claire, on the other hand... she cared too much. He picked up the phone, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Right when he was about to answer, the ringtone ceased and the call dropped.

"Great." he huffed and headed towards the couch where he sprawled himself onto. He waited for the person to return the call, but all he got was a voicemail notification. He clicked the notification and was sent straight to his voicemail.

 **"You have one new message. To listen to your messages, press one-** " and so he did.

 **"New message, received, today, at six, fifty two, A.M."** he took the cellphone closer to his ear to hear the message better. He regretted it.

"Hey, Leon! It's me." He froze at the sound of her voice. His whole body started to shake. His skin went pale as cold sweat ran down his forehead, his lips pursed and eyes shut tight. 

"I was bored and... I realized we haven't talked in a while so I thought I'd call you." he heard her chuckle and he couldn't fail to notice she sounded like she had longed a lot to speak to him. But... why did it have to be at that time?

"When you get this, would you mind calling back? Maybe we could do something this week if you're up for it, have dinner or, I dunno... catch a movie, maybe? Your pick. Just... please call me back, okay? I... **I really miss you**. Bye."

The message ended and his grip on the phone tightened. The last thing he wanted was for her to see him in that state. For her to throw herself away caring about a broken thing such as him. And he realized how much of a selfish piece of fuck he was, hiding himself in whatever shithole he could find from one of the few people who gave a damn about him on this Earth. He sighed, pressing the tips of the fingers of his free hand against his temple, caressing it, trying to ease the headache which had only gotten worse ever since he chose to hear that damned message. It didn't help. He wanted to see her, to hold her as tight as he could, to cry on her shoulder and let all the angst and sorrow he has stuck inside of him out... To be inside her, giving her the bliss and joy he himself didn't have and gave up on searching for. If he answered, he knew he could end up using her just like any other woman, because that's what he did. He hurt women. But if he didn't answer, he'd definitely crush her by ignoring her call, her plead. Maybe, just maybe, he could pretend he wasn't numb. 

And so he tried. Because it was for **her.**

He dialed her number and pressed the damn call button. He took a deep breath, preparing himself psychologically to listen to her. 

He wasn't ready.

He just hoped he wasn't fucking up the rest of his life.

And hers.

Right after he exhaled, she had picked up the call.

**"Hey."**


	2. Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, an update with some quick Valenfield.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

"Hey, I'm here."

"Right." He sighed. "I'll be there in a few."

Claire put her phone back in the front pocket of her jeans as the call disconnected. She carried a duffel bag which contained a few clothes with her and headed towards the entrance. 

Last morning she had decided to spend a few days with him. He disagreed at first but, after a lot of pleading, she eventually got him to change his mind. She knew exactly how to crawl into him. What didn't she possibly know about him?

She inhaled deeply and exhaled, it was nice to breathe some fresh air after a four hours long flight. She sat on one of the benches outside, dropping the bag beside her legs as she waited for him patiently.

~

He drove his jeep to the airport. His hands gripped the steering wheel firmly, arms and muscles tensed. He leaned back on his seat trying his best to relax. 

_"It's just her. Chill the fuck out."_

He kept reassuring himself as he got closer and closer to his destination, skipping some red lights along the way.

He parked the vehicle in the nearest lot, pulling the handbrake and taking a good look at himself in the rearview, grimacing almost instantly. He looked like he hadn't slept in months, heavy dark circles under slightly reddish eyes. At least his hair was on point. Not to his surprise though, as his hair always seemed to keep itself neat no matter the circumstances. His stubble had grown a bit more but it fit him very well. He could only hope that was enough to make himself presentable.

He finally stepped out of the car, locked it and made his way towards the airport's entrance, trying to spot her amongst the crowds of people. She's one of the few people he'd have no trouble at recognizing from miles away. Crimson strands, light blue eyes, soft pink lips and rosy cheeks... that was her. She was there. Waiting for him. He stood there for a moment, observing her from afar like she's a piece of art.

~

Anxiety started to kick in, patient waiting shifting into involuntary movements such as hair pulling and constant swapping of sitting positions in a vain attempt of getting comfortable. She figured he couldn't be much further and reached for her cellphone, unlocking it and dialing his number.

Before she could call, she looked around, a particular figure gaining her attention as it walked towards her slowly. Tall, dark blonde curtained hair, a bang covering an eye. Distressed brown leather jacket, black jeans and a pair of brown boots. It could only be-

"Leon!" she said as the figure came to a stop right in front of her.

"Hey. Missed me, huh?" He said grinning, glancing down at her as she pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapped around him tight.

"Just a bit." she chuckled, staring him in the eyes. She shivered as she felt him hugging her back, his hands caressing down her spine.

"I'd say 'just a bit' ain't enough for someone to fly across the country just to see me." she leaned up and kissed his cheek, slightly blushing and pulling away from him.

"Fine you asshole, I missed you. Seriously though, stop disappearing."

"Not sure I've disappeared. You know you can always reach me whenever you want."

"Yeah, but it'd be a lot nicer if you were the one calling for a change. Why am I the only one showing that I care?"

He didn't even bother answering. He knew she was right. She was his best friend in the world and he damn right knew he could count with her on anything. He never had a Chris in his life, a brotherly/sisterly figure who would always be there for him, to talk and try to sort things out, but he had her. Yet, he chose to sulk all day, always looking for the easy way out of his issues. 

He traded her for alcohol and cheap one night stands. He swapped her for women like Ada. Women who gave him what he wanted and took what he offered. He knew they'd never want him as something more and he didn't mind the superficiality. But Claire... Claire was different. From all of them. And he was weak. He feared that, one day, he'd end up hurting her to the point she'd never be able to forgive him ever again. He went soft. He felt a sense of dread everytime he waked up in the morning and stared at himself in the mirror. It was like he was nothing but a mere resemblance of who he once was.

"I-I'm sorry. I've just... been too caught up in myself lately. I know that. I know I have been awful, especially to you. I'll try my best to make it up to you, I promise." He placed a hand on her shoulder, a sad smile popped in his face.

_**You can't even make it up to yourself.** _ ********

********

She smiled back, giving him a warm look, nodding her head. He leaned down, got her bag and gestured towards the parking lot. "Come on. Let's get this in the car and you, something to eat. Gorgeous lady such as yourself gotta keep that strength up." 

********

She laughed at him, shaking her head. "Oh boy. I can't tell if I love or hate your flattery, Leon Kennedy..." She giggled and kept close, following him to the car.

********

He unlocked the car, allowing her to get inside. He opened the trunk and placed her bag inside, closing it and walking around to get himself into the driver's seat. They buckled up and left the airport, swerving down the streets.

********

"So, where are we going?" She asked looking out the window, glaring at the other cars and buildings around before turning to meet his face. 

********

He stopped at a red light and focused on the road, trying his best to ignore the internal conflict within him. He gasped, almost jumping off of his seat when he felt a hand gripping his shoulder and turned to face her, his eyes widened in shock, meeting hers.

********

"Hey, you okay?" she asked frowning at him, clearly worried at his reaction.

********

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry, I just... it's all good." He sighed, his hands returning the grip on the steering wheel. "Let's get you all set at my place, then I'll take us somewhere to eat."

********

She brought her hand from his shoulder and rested it on her thigh, the expression on her face slowly relaxing. "Fine by me."

********

The traffic lights went green and he accelerated, hoping they could spend the rest of the drive in peace and quiet. It was the first time ever he had felt any kind of discomfort being next to her and he couldn't help it. He had to recompose himself asap.

********

~ 

********

Chris was sitting in his office, writing and rewriting some reports on the Dulvey incident that had happened three years ago. Ever since, no major outbreak and bioterrorist attacks of large scale had occurred, fortunately. That kept him off the battlefields for a while, only being for small time assignments once in a while and despite being a man of action, it relieved him to know the world had breaks from terror. He took a deep breath and heard knocks on the door.

********

"Come in." he said, closing the lid of his laptop and glanced at the door.

********

The door opened and a slim figured walked in. He faced her and his eyes widened.

********

"Jill?" he frowned, a smile emerging on his lips.

********

"Hey Chris. Got a moment?" she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, leaning against the doorway.

********

"Yeah, sure, have a seat." he gestured to the chair in front of his desk. She closed the door and walked towards him, pulling the chair and sitting herself down, resting her arms on the desk. "What's on your mind?"

********

"Figured I'd come and tell you personally. I resigned my post as a field operative." She sighed and looked into his eyes, his expression shifting into surprise, shaking his head in awe.

********

"You're joking, right? Cause you gotta be. A few weeks ago you didn't cogitate leaving even in the slightest, now you're retiring? If this is about our talk from last time just know that you still have a lot of fight in you. You don't have to resign."

********

He wanted her to resign.

********

He wanted to protect her, to keep her from the horrors and would do anything to make sure what happened to her never occurred again. Wesker crawled his way into her mind and her soul, broke her spirit and used her as a mere weapon to achieve his goals. Chris couldn't stand that ever again and the mere thought of it nauseated him. Albert was dead, yes, but Chris knew better than anybody else that everything was possible, especially in that line of work where sadists, maniacs and psychopaths would do anything and cross every line possible only to fulfill and realize their interests, morals and ethics meant as much as shit to this kind of scum.

********

But then again, she was Jill Valentine. She went through hell countless times and walked away unscathed. She came back from the dead and shocked the living. There were few people on the world who were capable of surviving in spite of all odds, skilled enough to overcome any and every obstacle unfortunate enough to face them and she was one of these people. Chris was well aware of that and he'd never put his will and his own desires ahead of hers for his own benefit. If she were to resign, it would have to be on her own terms, not his. It wasn't his call to make.

********

"Hey, don't sweat it." she took his hand and caressed his knuckles as she noticed he was getting himself worked up. "Besides, who said I'm retiring? I'm just not going to be acting on the fields anymore."

********

"Oh? I thought you were cutting off for good. Well, that's a relief to hear. Think you'll be working as a advisor, huh?"

********

"Yes. That way I'll be able to share my knowledge and pick on the rookies. The last thing I think I'll get is bored." she giggled. "Hopefully you'll do the same when you quit the field, we'd make one hell of a duo."

********

"Heh, maybe one day. I still got some stories ahead of me. Barry could be your duo until I retire from the fights." he grinned at her.

********

"I don't know... Barry's a bit of a softie. You, on the other hand, would unleash hell on the guys, rookie bullier."

********

Both of them laughed, warmth filling up the room. He loved spending every second with her and she felt the same. They were always there for each other no matter the place or the circumstances. One hell of a couple.

********

"I suppose that was all?" he asked as he shot a questioning glance towards her.

********

"Yeah, that was kind of about it. Unless you've got some more time on you for more chitchat?"

********

"Not really. I gotta finish up some stuff here but as soon as I do we can catch up."

********

"Sounds great. Well, I'll be on my way then." she stood up from her chair and Chris did the same, walking her to the door. "One more thing, have you heard from your sis lately? I've been trying to reach her since yesterday. If I didn't know any better I'd say she has been avoiding my calls."

********

"She was probably just occupied, don't worry about her, I also have trouble contacting her sometimes. She's fine. I called her yesterday in the afternoon and she told me she was staying at New York for a few days. Didn't say why. At this time she's there already. I'll call her in a few hours to check up, see if everything's alright."

********

"Right. Keep me updated. See you." she leaned up and gave him a brief kiss on his lips before walking out of the room. He closed the door and went back to his chair, resuming his work with a smile on his face. 

********

She hadn't been there more than half an hour and yet she had already made his day.

********

She was a **life saver** , after all.

********


	3. Push it

"That's the place." Leon said, slowing down the car and pointing towards the skyscaper. She quickly catched sight of the building, inspecting it leisurely. Fancy looking building, she thought to herself.

"Guess being an government agent really pays off, after all." she mumbled in her seat, resting her chin on her fist.

"Huh?" he glanced at her, his attention drawn by her mumbling

"Nothing. I'm just thinking out loud." she said.

"Right." he said as he parked his car right outside the entrance. He felt no need to park inside the garage as they were only there to set her up before leaving to grab lunch. He unbuckled his seatbelt and exited the car, a current of air brushing against his face softly casting dirty blond strands in the air. He took a deep breath and walked around his vehicle. He opened the trunk, got her bag and closed it, locking his car right after.

"C'mon, let's get inside." he sighed and gestured towards the entrance.

They walked into the building and she took a look around the reception. White walls, fancy lights and decorative wood flooring with a rustic touch made up the interior. They walked across the corridor until they reached the elevator. He pressed the button and waited for their lift.

Claire used the meantime to scan him up and down. He looked as handsome as ever, definitely. But she noticed something about him was off. He was less of a talker and he seemed a bit nervous. He rubbed his forehead with his free hand, his eyes closed and brows furrowed. She placed a hand on his back, gaining his attention almost immediately. 

"Something on your mind?" she asked, giving him a warm, comforting smile.

"I'm... I'm fine." he gave her a faint smile and returned his sight to the doors in front of him. The doors opened and they quickly stepped in with Leon pressing the button to the 15th floor. The lift closed and they slowly started to ascend. They were way next to each other now. He felt her warmth surrounding him, the sweet smell of her perfume taking over the small cubicle they were in.

It was killing him.

And yet, he wanted more. Much more.

He shut his eyes and rested his back on the wall, unsure if he wanted to get the hell out of there or just stay in there forever, breathing her into his lungs and absorbing her into his bloodstream. She was just too much for him and surely the only one who make him feel like that. Around her, he felt lesser. Maybe it wasn't just a feeling, but a fact. He couldn't tell. But he was sure of something. 

He **craved** her. And he hated it, because he knew he couldn't have her. Not after everything he did, all that he went through.

But he couldn't resist. He was a coward, after all.

"Claire." he turned to her and opened his eyes, staring deep into hers, only wishing he could drown himself in the ocean of her pearls.

And so he tried.

"Hm? What is i-" she felt his hand cupping her cheek and her heart skipped a beat. Before she could say a word, his mouth took hers. She stared at him with her eyes widened but only for a moment, as he was slowly taking possession of her. He played around with her, intertwining his tongue with hers and exploring every inch of her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck instinctively, pulling him closer in an attempt of deepening the kiss even more. He pulled away slowly, thrilled as she chased his mouth everytime he tried to break the kiss apart. He finally managed to get himself away from her grasp, both of them panting heavily and gasping for air.

"Leon..." she cupped and caressed his cheek with her thumb, her other arm wrapped around his neck tight.

"Claire, I... I'm..." he was interrupted by the loud noise of the doors that opened beside them. They had arrived. And he took notice that he indeed wanted to be stuck in that elevator forever. He took a deep breath and exhaled deeply.

"...let's go." he gave her a soft smile and kissed her forehead. She released him and stared at him, awed. 

He sighed and left the elevator, heading right. He came to a stop in front of his door, reaching for the keys inside his pocket. He unlocked the door and walked inside with her right behind him.

"This is it." he allowed her to take point. He closed the door, took off his boots and placed them next to it, instructing her to do the same.

"Here's the living room." he said, helping her get familiar to the place. She looked at the black leather couch and at the pair of armchairs next to it, one on each side, then staring at the huge flat screen in front of it, mounted on the wall. She caught a glimpse of the city through the curtains that covered a glass panel on the far end of the room. She turned her attention to some frames hanging on the wall, a lot of art paintings decorated the room.

"You bought these?" she asked, pointing at the frames and grinning at him.

"No." he shaked his head, chuckling at her question. "They gave me the apartment as it is."

"Figures. I didn't expect you to be a fan of art. To be honest, neither am I." she giggled. "Mind showing me the kitchen?"

"Sure." he walked her towards the kitchen. She was amazed at how huge the kitchen was. She inspected the room as her eyes caught sight of a wall mounted bar with different types of distilled drinks.

"Damn... that's a lot of alcohol." she grimaced. She had no problem with drinking but she wasn't exactly a fan of it either.

"Yeah. Those I bought." 

"Leon, you really gotta take it easy."

He sensed genuine concern on her voice and sighed. His drinking habit had probably developed into a disease, he knew that. Still, he didn't care in the slightest.

"Let me show you your room. I'm getting tired of carrying this around." he lifted the bag in his hands, causing her to laugh a bit.

"Okay." she nodded and followed him towards a hallway. There was a door at the far end of the corridor and two on each sides of the wall.

"That's the bathroom," he pointed towards the door across the hallway. "And this is your room." He opened the door on the right side and she entered the guest room. There was a huge bed, nightstands on each side with lamps placed on top of them. On one of the nightstands there was a digital clock that marked **11:40 A.M.** She felt her feet being caressed by the fluffy carpet on the ground and walked towards the window beside the bed. Whoever had designed that apartment did an amazing job with the windows as all of them gave out a beautiful sight of town.

"I'll have that." she took the bag from him and placed it on top of the bed. "Nice place you got here."

"It's enough to get by." he chuckled.

"Enough to get by? Are you out of your mind, Kennedy? I'd kill to live in a place like this!" she stared at him, fazed that he didn't even acknowledge the beauty of his place.

"Well, I'm glad you like it." he smiled.

"Hey, I don't think I've seen everything yet."

He lifted a brow. "Yeah? What else would you like to see?"

"You still haven't showed me your room." she blinked at him.

It was happening again. He was all worked up in a second. Cold sweat ran down his temple as he started shaking. Dirty thoughts were racing in his mind. He didn't know if she really wanted to see his room or if that was just a hint so they'd end up fucking the whole afternoon. Either way, he couldn't let any of those happen. Not at the time. Then again, he remembered he hadn't cleaned up his room in weeks, not even the sheets of his bed he had changed. If she saw the state his bedroom was in, he was done for.

_**"Fuck, not now..."** _

He thought to himself, trying to calm his nerves. 

"U-um, Claire... Not sure you'd want to go in there." he played it off, trying to not sound too weird.

"Why not?"

He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of a response. 

He couldn't. So he did what he does best. Negotiated.

"Tell you what," he stared at her. "Let me take you to a restaurant first. Then I'll show you my room after we come back. Deal?"

She nodded, her cheeks flushed red.

If Leon Kennedy thought he had a dirty mind, it was because he had absolutely no clue of what Claire Redfield was picturing to herself deep inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting good ;)
> 
> Thanks for reading.


	4. Getting Along

"Here we are."

Leon said as he and Claire walked inside the restaurant and sat in one of the booths beside the window. He rested his elbows on the table, intertwining his fingers and resting his chin on top of his hands. He inhaled and exhaled deeply, staring out the window and observing the vehicles on the street.

"Hope the food is any good, I'm starving." She said to him, trying to lighten up the mood and initiate a conversation. She succeeded, as his attention shifted towards her immediately.

"Hey, don't sweat it. This is the best place to eat around town, trust me. And I'm paying." 

"Hey, who's complaining?" she grinned. "Besides, even if the food is bad, I still get to enjoy your company."

"Look who's being all flattery now." he chuckled. "Cute."

She giggled as she shook her head, staring deep into his eyes afterwards. She liked how sweet he sounded when he talked to her, yet she also hated his little flirtatious and provocative little comments. He was such a tease. She just wished she could make him have a taste of his own medicine. There was one question that troubled her. 

Who were they to each other, really?

Inside that elevator, without saying a word to her, without even trying to explain why he never showed he cared before, that is, if he really did, he invaded her mouth, taking over her almost instantly. And she loved it. She didn't resist. She accepted him. She thinked about him, a lot. Her constant and unfortunate failures in love made her desperate. She thought if it would be any different with him. It sounded stupid and she knew it, but hell, maybe, just maybe her failed attempts of a relationship and that heartbreaking riddance after being used and sold out like she was nothing by her former lover years ago was some kind of conspiracy to get them both together.

But if that was really the case, why didn't the same ever happen to him? She reminded herself of that woman back in Harvardville who he had known for less than a day and somehow she had already earned the privilege of crawling inside his heart and the worst of them all:

**Ada Wong.**

The woman who her brother once told her he was after and Leon came out of nowhere risking his life and even daring hold Chris at gunpoint to protect, completely aware of everything she had done... she was aware of her death, Chris had told her that too. But how long has Leon been with that woman before? For him to go out of his way like that, clearly she was way more than just an acquaintance of his. Way more. She burned with hatred and anger knowing that even a woman such as Ada managed to have her way with the man she... well... secretly loved.

She had no idea if that affection was reciprocal at all and she was sad she couldn't just take that kiss as an answer. She needed to hear it from his lips.

_**"Claire, I... I'm..."**_

His voice echoed in her head. It looped like a broken record inside her head. She only wished she could hear an **_"I'm in love with you"_** completing that sentence, but for the time being, he was **hers** for the meantime, even if just as a friend.

She pulled away from her thoughts and scanned his face. She was thinking way too much about herself that she hadn't noticed the anguish in his face until now. He sat there and looked like he was brooding, his right hand pressing his forehead and his left hand restlessly tapping his fingers on the table. She took his hand and caressed the back of it with her thumb.

"Something wrong?" she said, genuinely concerned about him. 

"I'm fine."

"So cheer the fuck up, Kennedy. You're really bringing down the mood."

His eyes widened. The way she spoke felt like a slap to the face, and he really needed it.

"Am I? Heh, sorry. Guess it's just the hunger."

She nodded and noticed a woman approaching the booth. About her size, brunette, seemingly on her early thirties. She stopped right beside them with a little notepad and a pen in her hands.

"Hey, Leon! It's nice to see you again." she gave him a warm smile.

"Hi, Fran." 

"I see you're accompanied today." she raised a brow, staring at the redhead in front of him.

"Yeah, this is Claire. Claire, this is Fran." he waved his hand back and forth, introducing the women to each other.

"Pleasure to meet you, Claire." 

"Likewise."

"I'll take the cute couple's orders." she giggled. "What's it gonna be today?"

"Same as usual." he sighed.

"Mhm. Steak and eggs hash for the man." she quickly wrote it down and stared back at Claire. "And for the lady?"

"I'll have the same, thanks."

"Not a picky eater, huh?" she wrote it down. "Right. Would you guys like something to drink as you wait?"

"Just a glass of water." 

"Same."

"It's comin' right away."

"Thanks, Fran." he blinked at the woman.

The waitress nodded her head and walked away from the two. Leon looked around as he saw more and more people entering the establishment. Some of them young, happy couples and even with kids. He wondered to himself what would it be like to have an actual family. Once again, his line of work held him back. Men like him were not fit to have a family. Or so he thought. 

**_"We're beyond humanity, Leon. People like you and I? That's not what we do."_ **

He shook his head and shut his eyes tight. That voice tortured him repeatedly, day after day after day. He cleared his mind and returned his mind to the same place his body was located and gazed at the redhead in front of him. Somehow, the mere sight of her comforted him as much as it troubled him. She stared out the window, her hair slowly flailing around. He noticed her hand was still beneath his.

"How's life?" he gripped her hand.

"Same as usual. Working on some TerraSave programs, going on conferences, setting Moira on track... she's really cut out for it." she smiled. "Barry finally accepted her in our line of work. I'm really proud of her."

"Right. And the big guy?"

"Chris? He's alright. Busy as always."

"He and Jill getting along?"

"Yeah. She has been pretty busy too but distance really doesn't matter when people are made for each other, right? I'm happy for these two."

"That's good." he nodded his head.

The waitress came back with two empty glasses and a jar of water. She set both cups on the table and filled them up.

"Leave the pitcher, would ya?" 

"Sorry, Leon. The guys won't allow me to leave it. No can do."

"Sure you can." he reached for his wallet and pulled a 100 dollar bill, placing it in her hand and taking the jar, placing it on the table. "If they complain, send 'em to me."

She took the bill and placed it inside a pocket.

"Right. That's on you now." she giggled and walked away, heading towards other booths to attend the people who were coming in.

"What about you? How have you been lately?" Claire asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear with her free hand and pulling the other away from Leon's, reaching for her cup. "Haven't been hearing from you for a while. If i didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me." she took a sip of cold water, refreshing her throat.

"Hey, you know I'd never do that." he grinned.

"Do I? You've been acting kinda weird ever since I got here."

"Claire, it's not about you. Really. You're the first person I want around."

"Hmm. So you admit there's something going on." she crossed her arms. "Don't feel like talking about it?"

He sighed and scratched the back of his head. He knew she was going to instigate that until he gave her what she wanted. He felt like saying **'I don't fucking want you to put up with me or my shit because you don't deserve it. Well, neither did all the other women I fucked the last months but the difference between you and them is that I care about you.'** would be a bit too harsh to spit out. He sighed, choosing his next words carefully. He had to make something up.

"Look... If you really wanna know, it's just... work related stuff. It has been a pain in the ass lately, you have no idea."

"Really? What's the issue?" she lifted a brow.

"They..." he sighed."...they suspended me. Indefinitely."

"What? Why? You're the second best agent they got, I'm sure of it. Sorry, gotta give the first spot to Sherry. No offense, good lookin'."

"None taken. She's our girl, after all." he smirked. "I'm out because of a disciplinary procedure."

"Wow. You, of all people, being a bad boy at work? Doesn't suit ya."

"Nah. I just failed my psychiatric assessment."

"What, so you went nuts or something?"

He laughed quietly and shook his head at her question. "It's not like that."

"Isn't it? My b-... best friend in the world is a lunatic now. Great." she giggled.

"Takes one to know one, sweetheart."

"Yeah? So what do you say we go crazy together?"

"Hey. Love to."

Her cheeks flushed red, a shy smile popped on her face. They stared at each other, soaking in the presence of one another. Instinctively, their hands met once again, intertwining their fingers. She was desperate to tell him to take them back to his place, realizing how bad she wanted him. She needed him and she knew it. Still, they had that whole day ahead of them and a few more to come. If something was to happen, the last thing she wanted was for that something to be rushed. She wanted every second with him to last until she had to leave.

"Hey... what do you say we go shopping after this?" she suggested.

"Uh, sure thing."

"Great. Cause I really wanna buy some new clothes."

"Right. Hey, you still have that scarf I gave ya?"

"Yeah, I do! It's in my bag back at the apartment. Why?"

"Didn't think you'd like it that much."

"You were wrong." she giggled. "Your point being?"

"Just thought I'd get you something much better this time."

"Really? That's so nice of you. What do you have in mind?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out."

"So, no spoilers, huh?"

"Nope. But I'll do my best to spoil ya."

"You better."

Their talk came to an end as their food arrived. They took their plates and dug in, chitchatting and talking a bit more about life and reminiscing of their last encounters. He was happy that she was enjoying being in his company and he could gladly say the same. She could definitely have chosen to bond with anyone else, especially after he left and never even tried to reach her, yet she chose him. Of all people. He'd never forget that. He had almost forgot what it felt like to have someone actually caring about him.

Nothing about them was forged. There was nothing in the air but genuineness. They could trust each other. She was the spark of light that was slowly sweeping away the darkness he felt inside of him.

He was afraid? Sure. But, somehow... life suddenly seemed to get better.


	5. Memories

September, 2018.

_Leon kept thrusting himself inside of her slowly, his hands gripping and guiding her hips to follow his rythm. He moaned and gasped at every penetration and she did the same, grasping the sheets of the bed like she held on for dear life. Their bodies soaked in sweat, getting more and more slippery by the minute to the point he repeatedly slipped out of her, making it harder and harder to develop and maintain momentum._

_This made him use all of his length as he started to enter her completely, her moans and cries getting louder and louder as she struggled to keep herself sane. He kept working his magic, observing her as her face expressed the pleasure she was feeling. He leaned down, pressing his chest against her back, his hands groping her breasts as he licked her neck, tasting her bittersweet flavor._

_He increased the speed, his thrusts becoming more and more rough and erratic, resting his head against her shoulder. Her moans and cries became louder and louder. He felt her body tremble beneath him as she finally came, her cum sliding down his shaft and making him realize he wasn't going to last much longer. He moaned, releasing his seed and filling up the condom he was using. He pulled out and she crashed against the bed, his body collapsing beside her on the bed, both panting heavily in an attempt of catching their breaths. He took off the condom, tying a knot and tossing it on the ground and shivering as the cold air began to cool his warm, semi-erect manhood, pulling a sheet to cover his naked, sweaty body. The woman began to regain composure as she rose herself and stood up, sliding a hand over her short, dark hair and moving some wet strands aside, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear._

_"Thanks for the night, Leon." she gazed at him, as he buried his face in the mattress._

_"Whatever, Ada."_

_"Not going to ask me to stay this time?"_

_"Heh, what's the point? Does anything else really matter as long as you get what you want? I gave you want you wanted, right? I don't have to lend you the pleasure of having me plead for you. Not again. I've had enough of you and your fucking games."_

_"I'm sorry you feel that way, Leon."_

_"Like hell you are. Fuck you, Ada. Fuck. YOU. Take your fucking bath and leave. You know where the shower is."_

_"I'm sorry Leon, I really am. But why instigate this any longer? You have to understand. I know you don't, but you will. A relationship? **We're beyond humanity, Leon. People like you and I? That's not what we do.** We were made like this and you know we can't change it."_

_"Who the fuck are you to tell me who I am? And who the fuck are you to tell me I can't have a relationship? I don't need you. I never did. I know women worth way more than just fifty of you. Fuck your pity and fuck you."_

_"And yet you chose me. Leon, you can do whatever you please. I'm not holding you back. But you know if you try, you'll just end up hurting not only yourself but your partner. You will fuck up things beyond repairing. I know what you are and I know what I am. We're simply not fit for this. I'm just trying to save you. From me and yourself. Because I care about you. I wouldn't even be here otherwise. There's nothing personal about this."_

_"You? Trying to save me? Don't make me laugh. You're no hero. I don't need your advice. You wanted a good fuck? You got it. Now fuck off. I don't wanna hear your shit."_

_"Deep down, you know I'm right, and that's all I need." she took her clothes and wandered inside the bathroom. He soon heard the sound of drops of water colliding against the floor and clenched his fists, pressing his head against the mattress trying to alleviate the burden of the words he just heard. His mind was cloudy, his heart beating fast as a sparkle of angst, hatred, misery and agony build up inside of him, becoming a huge, uncontainable flame that spread inside of him. He wondered to himself why must hell always come after minutes of paradise. His thoughts stopped as the sound of the shower ceased. Ada walked out, now fully clothed, and headed for the bedroom's exit. She opened the door and before she walked our, she turned to him._

_"Take care of yourself, Leon." she left the room, the sound of heels knocking on the floor fading in the distance._

_Leon took his face off the mattress and sat himself up, placing his hands on his nape, gripping it hard. He gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes tight. She had used him again and had left, AGAIN. But this time, she chose not to leave until she broke his spirit completely. And she did. Was he about to have a breakdown? He didn't know. His body began to tremble, rage grew inside of him. A sudden urge to break and tear everything apart wanted to build up inside him and take over his body but he couldn't let that happen. He had already gave Ada too much. If he ended up harming himself that was going to be just IT. He stood and picked up the condom from the ground, walking into the bathroom, throwing it in the bin and walking out. He wore some boxers and the shirt that hanged from the headboard before leaving the room._

_He headed towards the kitchen, walking towards the bar mounted on the wall. He looked at a bottle of Absinthe and thought of grabbing it before acknowledging he might end up in an alcoholic coma, making up his mind and taking the Jack Daniel's instead. He made his way to the living room, sat on the couch and opened the bottle, taking a big swig of the liquor. He grabbed the remote next to him and turned on the TV hoping that there was anything good on and if there wasn't at least he'd use it for some background sound to cope with the loneliness._

_There was nothing._

_Nothing but a big blue screen, with the words 'No Signal' bouncing from one corner of the screen to another. He stared at it as he moved around, taking another gulp of the whiskey in his hands, hypnotized by the phrase that moved around the flatscreen._

_**"You don't need her. You never did. And you still chased after her, huh? You let her take every fiber of your body. You idiot. You fucking idiot. Maybe she's right. You're worthless."** he thought to himself, slowly drowning on alcohol._

_**No Signal.**_

~ 

_"Claire! It's so fucking nice to see you!" Moira gave her friend a tight hug. She leaned back to inspect her, surprised to see her at her front door. "What's up?"_

_"Hey Moira! Sorry to pop in out of a sudden at this time, I really should've called. I read your text and I just came to, ya know, catch up personally."_

_"Pffft, it's nothing, come on in!" she gave her friend a big smile and gestured for her to enter. Claire walked in and Moira closed the door. They walked towards the living room, the sound of the TV getting louder and louder as they came closer. Claire sat on the couch as Moira paused the series she was watching._

_"Having yourself quite a nice time, huh? What you watchin'?"_

_"Better call Saul. It's this show about this cheesy lawyer. You really should watch it, it's fun."_

_"Sure, I'll have a look into that."_

_"So... what do ya tell me? I don't think you came this late just to chitchat, did ya?"_

_"Actually, I did. It's nothing about work, really. And if it was, it'd be nothing but compliments. Your work is more than superb, sis. You could easily replace me anytime you want." she giggled, looking at her friend._

_"Heh, I know I could. But you still got a lot of work ahead of ya. Don't think you'll cut out on me just yet. C'mon, since you're here fuckin' make yourself at home, would' ya? Mi casa su casa and all that, right? Let's watch something together."_

_"Uh, riiight." Claire took her boots off and placed them next to the couch, removing her jacket and placing it on the armrest. She reached for the pot of popcorn in the middle of the couch and took a handful of popcorn._

_"Getting news from your family lately?"_

_"Yeah, they're great, same as always. Natalia's such a fucking little rebel sometimes. She's like 17 now, she should know better. Time really flies. Polly's in college and she still says Canada sucks. Mom was sick but it was just a shitty flu and I think you know how dad is. He's... well, being a dad."_

_"Yeah." Claire chuckled. "Same old Barry. Tough having to live away from them now, huh?"_

_"I'll survive. By the way, I travel to Canada almost every weekend so it's not like it's the end of the world." Moira took the remote and surfed across the catalogue. "Something on your mind?"_

_"Not really. Just choose anything you want as long as it's not a stupid romcom or something like that."_

_"Um, sure. How about-" before she could complete her sentence, she was interrupted by her phone's ringing. She handed Claire over the remote._

_"Hey, your pick sweetie. I really gotta get that." Moira stood up and burst out of the room in a flash._

_"O...kay?" Claire stared at where her friend once was for a moment and took her phone from her jeans pocket. It was 10:30 PM and she had no idea who could've been calling Moira at that time. Claire took the opportunity to take a look at social media and answer Chris' messages. He was planning on throwing a big Christmas party and needed her help to organize things._

_"I'm baaack." Moira gazed at Claire, seeing her focused on her smartphone. "Jeez, still haven't picked anything to watch? Boyfriend texting ya?"_

_"It's just Chris. Who called you?"_

_"Uh, it's just my boyfriend. We were thinking about hanging out tomorrow, after work. What do you think of a double date? I know it sounds terrible but it's an idea."_

_"Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm not seeing anyone."_

_"What, you're going to keep throwing the rest of your love life away just because of that piece of shit Fisher? Come on, Claire. The past is the past now. You-"_

_"Moira. I appreciate your concern. But I... really don't wanna talk about him. Not then, not now, not ever again. Could you just... not? Please?"_

_"I... I- I'm sorry... I won't bring him up ever again. Promise. I know it's tough for you, even after all these years, but I really think you should try again. At least one more time. It's hard to regain trust, sure, but you can do it. You can totally do anything. I just care about you and I want you to find someone that makes you happy, sis. Maybe if you had this someone, you'd be somewhere else right now. Don't get me wrong, I want you here, but I'd rather you to be somewhere you'd be... happier. You know what I mean?" Moira sighed and looked at Claire, pursing her lips and preparing herself for her reaction._

_"I... look, Moira. I'm tired. I'm just tired of things just... NOT ever working. I really am. It's like the universe just fucking conspires against me every FUCKING time I try. How many failed relationships will take until I finally find this 'someone'? How many betrayals? Everyone I care about... just fucking... leaves me, Moira. I can't take it anymore... I can't..." cold tears started running down her cheeks, her best friend becoming nothing more than a distorted image before her as her vision started to blur out._

_Moira reached for her friend, hugging her and placing her head on her shoulder, allowing her to cry as hard as she could, caressing her back and her hair trying to comfort her best friend and older sister figure that broke down in tears right in front of her._

_"Let it all out... it's okay. It's okay..."_

_"God... first of all that fucking kid back in Antarctica... More than two decades ago... we didn't even have the time to develop anything, but he cared... he cared about me. I barely knew him and he was willing to give his life up for me being so young... then, a few dates with a couple of idiots who wanted nothing but sex but that's okay, right? So I meet Fisher... and when I finally think things are going to work out for me I end up kidnapped with my best friend and my coworkers, sold out in the middle of fucking nowhere until we start dying one by ONE. Then I promise myself I'd never fall for someone ever again until I meet Nivans... of all of Chris' guys, that man had something about him just rang me a bell. He was young, cute, had the looks... we could've actually been something, but then I get the news from my brother... he got out alive, fortunately, but it was thanks to his sacrifice... and the cycle repeats and goes on, and on, and on... and why? Because of that idiot... Leon... oh, Leon..." Claire gritted her teeth and clenched her fists at the thought of him._

_"Of everyone you've mentioned besides 'that guy', I've only ever heard about this Leon. He must've left quite an impression on ya."_

_"Quite an impression? That fucking idiot left waaaay more than just that, believe me. I... I love him, Moira. I fucking love him... or loved. I'm not even sure anymore... he's tall, he's blonde, he's fucking hot... he's the devil in person. And he NEVER reciprocated my feelings, ever... he always came with his fucking 'I'm busy' excuse but I know that's a fucking lie. Was he ever busy when that woman in Harvardville hit on him? Was he ever busy when it came to fucking Ada Wong? And even after her death, he NEVER even came looking for me. Like- like I'm not even worth being a second option. I lost him to a NOBODY and I lost him to a DEAD WOMAN. And I knew him way before her... at least I think so. We met in Raccoon City and we left with Sherry. We survived together and we... we took care of Sherry like she was our own daughter, and I still look at Sherry like she's my own. With him. W-why... why doesn't he... love me? Why? Why does he do me like this?" she sobbed, holding her friend tight and suddenly feeling lighter, like she had relieved herself of a giant burden inside her heart. With it, her strength also seemed to have vanished, feeling weak and tired._

_"H-hey, I feel you. I feel you. Look, forget movie night. How about you crash here for the night? We can leave for work together tomorrow, it'll be fun. Come on, I'll take you to bed and fix you a cup of water. You really need one." Moira pulled Claire up and guided her to her bedroom. She opened the door and walked Claire over to the bed, lying her down on the bed and pulling the sheets over her._

_"I'll bring your water. I'll be back in a flash, right?" Moira walked out and headed for the kitchen. There, she poured a cup of cold water._

_**"Leon... you piece of shit."** Moira thought to herself, shaking her head at the thought that someone had really managed to mess her best friend like that. If she ever saw Leon, she'd punch his face as hard as she could and she'd make him regret. Maybe the upcoming Christmas would be a great opportunity for that. She hoped there was going to be a party and she hoped Claire would invite the idiot. She walked back to the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. _

_"Here. Sit up first so you don't make a mess." Moira observed Claire as she rested her back against the headboard and took the cup from her hands, drinking the liquid inside of it._

_"Thank you, Moira. Really. For everything. You'll really let me have your bed?"_

_"Hey, it's nothing, the couch is comfy. See, even your color got better now." Moira took the cup from her hands and watched her friend tuck herself in. She walked away, but before she could leave the room, Claire caught her attention._

_"Moira?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Do you... do you think he cares? About me?"_

_Moira was surprised Claire still had the strength to even think about it. Nevertheless, she'd stand for her friend no matter what._

_"I do. And he'll show it. I don't know when, but he'll show it. If he doesn't, you take me to him and I'll make him show it."_

_She heard Claire let out soft giggles._

_"Thank you, Moira."_

_"Don't mention it. Get some sleep, sweetie."_

_And so she did._

_She dozed off, once again with Kennedy in her thoughts._

**_He'll show it._**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be well out there everyone.


End file.
